Save the Last Dance for Me
by JuliaBC
Summary: One more dance for Ginny and Severus. Epilogue of a sort, but can be read as a stand alone.


A/N: Since the last installment was so short, I made this epilogue be longer. Just a peek into Ginny's and Severus' life. I hope you like it. This completes the Ginny and Severus at the Dance arc.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters.

Sixteen years, Severus thought as he dressed. Sixteen years since she said she'd be mine. And now…

A teenage girl burst into the bedroom, with bright blue eyes and flaming red hair cropped close in a pixie cut. "Dad, it's time to go!" She said. "And how do I look?" She twirled for him. She wore a bright teal tea dress, and the skirt flared when she spun.

"You look great, Elicia" He said assuringly.

She grinned. "I have to say, it's nice to be finished with Hogwarts. Going to the Anniversary dance when I was still a student was a bit tedious. But it will be nice to see Nicholas and Julia. I can't believe Nick's a Sixth year already."

Ginny came into the bedroom then, in an emerald colored dress with a full skirt. She looked worried. "Harry says he won't be able to make it." She told them. Severus rolled his eyes. "Why am I supposed to care what he does?"

"Severus…" she said.

"How does that information concern me? That's all I meant."

"You are on the ballot for replacing him as speaker." Ginny told him.

"Bloody hell." He swore. "How did I get there?"

"Well, you are fifth down the list. But you see, Luna was second, and the reason Harry's not coming is because Luna's giving birth."

"Isn't she a little old for that?"

"Be quiet." Ginny said. "Let me continue. Hermione and Ron were after Luna but they're still on their second honeymoon. I can't call them back if it's just the 16 anniversary. If it was the 20th, that would be different."

"How did I get put on this list in the first place?" He growled.

Elicia slipped from the room, hearing his tone. "I'll just Apparate now." She said. Indeed, a faint pop soon sounded.

Ginny was now looking flustered. "Well, maybe I put your name down instead of my own…I've never liked public speaking, and never thought it would come to you."

Severus sighed. "There's no way to get out of it then?"

She nodded. His face suddenly brightened. "Actually, I do have a speech prepared. Just let me…Yes. I do have a speech. Let's go."

Before Ginny could question his change of attitude, he had disappeared and she had no choice but to follow him.

Once at the dance, she found herself being exceedingly busy. Julia had shocked her by introducing her boyfriend firsthand, Paul was his name, and he was a veritable giant. "I'm 6'7"." He told her bashfully, hunching over a bit. "And only fifteen?" She asked in disbelief.

"Me dad says I'm done growing. I'll believe him. He's 6'6"." Paul told her. Julia slipped her arm through his possessively. Though her daughter was tall herself—5'8"—wearing four inch heels still didn't bring her up to his height, and she had to look up at him, which she did with a rather adoring expression on her face. She wore a yellow dress, which complimented her fair skin and black hair tremendously. "We're going to dance now." Julia told her, and the two slipped away. Ginny looked down at her own shoes. Her feet had hurt so she had slipped on shoes with only a slight heel. "That's it," she muttered. "No matter how my feet kill me, I'm always wearing five inch heels to this."

She swirled around and bumped into Severus, who led his son close behind. "Nicholas!" She said gladly, hugging him. "Thank goodness you're only 6'1"." She said, and he laughed.

"You met Paul then?"

"Yes. Does Julia have a permanent kink in her neck from looking up at him?"

"I'd assume so." He said. He also had black hair, which he cropped short, and black eyes. He looked like a young Severus, she supposed, but softer. "Wanna dance, mum?"

"No girlfriend then?" Severus inquired lazily.

"I did have one. But she, um, that is, I...I'd rather not talk about it. Later, dad." He said, and swept Ginny away.

"What's that about?"

Nicholas's face was bright red now. He had gotten Ginny's complexion. "She got expelled." He said quietly. "She was, um, pregnant."

Her eyes widened.

"Oh, god, no! Not my kid!" He said quickly. "It was one of the teacher's. He was fired too."

Ginny's face blanched. "What happened?" She asked.

"As weird as it sounds, they got married." He said quietly. "She was a year older than me, so she was of age. I think maybe they actually do love each other."

Ginny flushed. "Yes, maybe they do." She said simply.

Severus watched his son drag Ginny away and looked around the room. Speechmaking didn't come until much later in the evening, and he had some time to kill. Spotting Minerva, he made his way to her. "How are you, Minerva?" He asked genially. "Still kicking, eh?"

She glared slightly at him, and then laughed. "Yes, I am indeed still kicking. Dance with me." She said sharply, and he took her arm to lead her to the dance floor.

"My son was reluctant to speak about his girlfriend in front of me." He began. "Why was that?"

"Oh, that's easy. She was the girl who got pregnant by her teacher." She said quietly. "Lise Sanford. Professor Longbottom was fired immediately."

Severus was disbelieving. "Neville got a student pregnant?" He hissed.

"Yes, I didn't believe Lise myself, at first, but Neville admitted to the whole thing. Quite a shock, that's certain. We've kept it very quiet, though. Only Nicholas knows the full reason of why Lise was expelled, I believe. Everyone else thinks it was because she snuck out of the castle. And Neville's departure we let be thought of as a resignation." She grew quiet again. "As strange as it sounds, I actually think they loved each other. Lise was so reluctant to tell on him. It was only when her pregnancy got apparent she told me, and then it was by accident. I already suspected anyway, because Neville had been acting so oddly lately."

"You didn't suspect my son at all?"Severus asked in surprise.

"He's too honest. He would have told all long ago, if it were him. I can hardly believe he's a Slytherin."

"I can…" Severus muttered. "He still only thinks of what's best for him, by not telling me himself!"

Minerva simply laughed.

Suddenly it was time for the speech. Severus found himself making his way to the podium, feeling hesitant.

"Hello, everyone. I'm sure you are wondering why I am up here and not Harry Potter, without whom we could not have this celebration. Mr. Potter is at the hospital with his wife of eighteen years, Luna. She is currently giving birth to their sixth child. I am sure you will all agree that right now it is more important for him to be with Luna."

Everyone tittered. "And next you'd be wondering why Hermione or Ron Weasley isn't up here. Well, they are one their second honeymoon and couldn't make it. And the reason for Luna not being here I already gave. You see, my wife Ginevra was supposed to be next on the list, but her fear of public speaking overcame her and she put down my name instead." A louder laugh spread over the audience. Ginny blushed.

"But I don't mind, for I realized I do have something to say." He paused. "As many of you know, I did not have a happy childhood, and that greatly impacted my decision to join the Dark Lord's forces while still in school. That's funny, looking back, for the Dark Lord never promised happiness. Just power. And he never promised to share it either. But power was an irresistible thing for me. I grabbed at the chance, and only realized my mistake when he threatened to murder my childhood friend, Lily Potter, nee Evans. I immediately turned to Dumbledore. It was too late, in one way, but in another only a beginning. I vowed to watch over her son, and did a rather shoddy job, up until the last moment, when I gave him the key to winning the battle. I did not expect to live that night, but Harry, through his unending generosity, came back to save my life. I am forever grateful then, as we all are, to Harry James Potter, the Boy Who Lived."

He raised his glass and so did everyone. "Harry!" Everyone called, clinked their glasses and drank.

"And to Severus Snape, whose courage was unending." Came a loud voice. Everyone toasted him also.

The music resumed. Severus made his way off the stage to find Ginny. She stood at the sight of him walking towards her. "I think this is my dance." Mr. Weasley said suddenly, and swept Ginny off. She looked over her shoulder helplessly at Severus. He went to find Julia.

Through some twist of fate, they came to the last song of the evening without having danced one song together. Finally, finally Severus reached his beautiful, glowing wife. The DJ spoke as he took her hand. "Grab your partners for the last dance of the evening. Hold them close, and remember—"

Michael Buble's 'Save the Last Dance For Me' came on. Severus placed his hand firmly,

possessively on Ginny's waist. He took her smaller hand in his and swirled her onto the floor. He danced the same dance of seventeen years ago, when they'd both been lonely and lost. The spins and twirls were all the same. The dips were slower, and the lifts didn't last quite as long.

Severus found himself remembering a quote, with no idea where he'd heard it or who had said it.

"I don't care who kissed you first, as long as I kiss you last."

And with that sentiment in his heart, he pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. Her hands locked around his neck, keeping him with her. As they had last time, they slowed their steps, shuffling in a revolving circle, staring into each other's eyes. "I love you." Ginny said.

"I know. And I love you."

The night ended, the party goers went home to bed, and somewhere a new baby mewled for his mother.

Ginny and Severus went home and danced.


End file.
